AYUSH
A statement issued by the Ministry of Ayush on claims of Patanjali Ayurved regarding treatment of COVID-19
Posted On: 23 JUN 2020 5:39PM
by PIB Delhi
Ministry of AYUSH has taken cognizance of the news being recently flashed in the media about Ayurvedic medicines developed for treatment of COVID-19 by Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, Haridwar (Uttrakhand). Facts of the claim and details of the stated scientific study are not known to the Ministry.
The concerned Ayurvedic drug manufacturing company has been informed that such advertisements of drugs including Ayurvedic medicines are regulated under the provisions of Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954 and Rules thereunder and the directives issued by the Central Government in the wake of COVID outbreak. Ministry had also issued a Gazette Notification No. L.11011/8/2020/AS dated 21st April, 2020 stating the requirements and the manner the research studies on COVID-19 with Ayush interventions/medicines should be undertaken.
In order to make this Ministry aware of the facts of the aforesaid news and verify the claims, Patanjali Ayurved Ltd has been asked to provide at the earliest details of the name and composition of the medicines being claimed for COVID treatment; site(s)/hospital(s), where the research study was conducted for COVID-19; protocol, sample size, Institutional Ethics Committee clearance, CTRI registration and results data of the study (ies) and stop advertising/publicizing such claims till the issue is duly examined. Ministry has also requested concerned State Licensing Authority of Uttrakhand Government to provide copies of license and product approval details of the Ayurvedic medicines being claimed for the treatment of COVID -19.
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MV/SK
Note: The above statement was issued in violation of their own following Notifications:
GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR CLINICAL EVOLUTION OF AYURVEDIC INTERVENTIONS
GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR DRUG DEVELOPMENT OF AYURVEDIC FORMULATIONS
Good Clinical Practice Guidelines for clinical trials of ASU Medicine
To be remembered that in India the practice of Ayurvedic medicine is mainly governed by concerned state acts along with IMCC Act 1970; drugs & cosmetics act 1940 & rules 1945; and Clinical Establishment Act 2012.
Information technology is governed by IT Act 2000, and the information technology (reasonable security practices and procedure and sensitive personal data or information) rules 2011. Gaps in legislation and the uncertainty of rules force a risk for both the doctors and their patients.(CENTRAL COUNCIL OF INDIAN MEDICINE)
On  Tuesday evening (23, June 2020) the owner of the Patanjali Brand Swami Ramdev claimed that he had all approval and all documents has been made available to the ministry.